1999 Volume 67 Issue 6 Pages 669-676
The effect of oxide ion was investigated in the electrodeposition of tungsten in an acidic ZnCl2-NaCl (60-40 mol %) melt at 450 °C. Cyclic voltammetry was performed in melts which contained various tungsten compounds and different amounts of ZnO. In constant potential electrolysis, metallic tungsten was obtained from K2WO4, WO3, WOCl4, and WCl6, but not from KWCl6, K2WCl6, WCl4, K3W2Cl9 and WCl2. When ZnO was added, metallic tungsten deposited from KWCl6, K2WCl6, and WCl4. It seems that the oxide ion or an oxochlorotungsten species participates in the electrodeposition process.